Inside the Braves with MLB.com's Mark Bowman

Updates on Chipper and Escobar

It’s hockey night in Pittsburgh and the fans are truly showing their colors. Actually, some are wearing the modern black Penguins jerseys and a handful of others are sporting the blue ones that the club wore during the pre-Mario Lemieux days.

Whatever the case, I’d have to say close to 50 percent of the people I saw walking the streets this afternoon were wearing Penguins jerseys. I didn’t see a Pirates jersey until Adam LaRoche and his buddies came out to take batting practice here at beautiful PNC Park.

Speaking of LaRoche, the former Braves first baseman has at least delayed his traditional slow start by recording 10 hits, including three homers in his first 34 at-bats this year. Considering that he owned a .181 career batting average in April entering this year, it’s safe to say that he’s enjoying this early production.

LaRoche’s buddy Chipper Jones is once again out of the lineup with a bruised left thumb. The Braves third baseman has been encouraged by the fact that the swelling has decreased and he’s hoping to return to action during Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the Buccos.

“The swelling is getting better,” Jones said. “But (the trainers) were rubbing it down today and it’s still extremely painful.”

Having already aggravated this injury multiple times by getting jammed with pitches, Jones recognizes the importance of resting the thumb as long as necessary. The bottom line is that he doesn’t want to deal with this throughout the season.

“If I came back too early and did it again, I’d have to miss another three to four days,” Jones said. “I just want to make sure we get it right.”

As for Yunel Escobar, he could be back to his jumping ways as early as Saturday. When Escobar strained his abdominal muscle while doing his traditional pre at-bat jumping routine in the on-deck circle Thursday, the Braves thought he might miss three to four games.

But Escobar took some swings in the indoor batting cage on Friday and didn’t experience any concerning discomfort.

Forget about the possibility of this episode leading Escobar to end his jumping days in the on-deck. The talented shortstop is as stubborn as they come.

When Jo-Jo Reyes takes the mound to face the Pirates on Saturday, you’ll likely see a pitcher that doesn’t resemble the one who went 0-7 with a 7.81 ERA in his final 13 appearances (12 starts) last year.

Reyes has grown comfortable with the fact that he doesn’t have to attempt to overpower every hitter. The more efficient 23-year-old southpaw impressed during Spring Training and tossed five solid innings before struggling through a rain-drenched sixth inning during his regular season debut for Triple-A Gwinnett last week.

Reversing back to the LaRoche-Jones connection, the two former Braves teammates have become heavily involved with the Buck Commander videos that are produced by noted hunter Willie Robertston.

With assistance from their good friend Luke Bryan, the guys developed this video that shows them enjoying some of their hunting experiences.

i am so frustrated with how the Braves have played over the last few years and i am sick of it.

how about they learn to take a couple of pitches once instead of swinging at the first pitch every at bat.

i’m tired of the bullpen. they couldn’t hold their own in Single A ball for God’s sake!

i’m tired of Bobby Cox just setting on the bench being the nice guy instead of getting after some of these guys who can’t even leg out a ball.

i can’t believe Garret Anderson can show his face around the club house. there is NO excuse to make all of these weak sauce errors the other night. Not to mention he swings the bat like he is playing for the other team, i mean come on guy!!! act like you deserve your contract for crying out loud!

BTW team, if you listen to other NL east announcers, they don’t even mention you in their division. You are in the same position as the Nat’s while spending how much more money???? i’m ashamed to be a Braves fan.

Maybe if Mark Bowman would quit blowing smoke and actually light a fire under these overpaid minor leaguers we could stay above 500 this year.

Looks just like the Braves of last year. When we get decent pitching, the hitting is horrible, Good hitting, pitching horrible.
Also it’s about time Wren and the Braves stop investing in has beens and cripples. They need to set up a better conditioning program. You can’t win ballgames with guys sitting on the bench. Dog gone it, GO BRAVES. Win a couple for old time sake.

Exactly, and Chipper will be out of the line up for over 70 games, this season looks very grim. I blame this loss on Schaffer. Because of his bad defense (like giving up 2 triples because he took a bad path) and cold bat (like grounding out of a bases loaded situation and striking out every chance he gets), We lost the game.

It’s been a rough week, for sure. That 5-1 start has evaporated into a .500 record, and this week has been littered with missed opportunities. It’s easy to be frustrated. Heck, I’m frustrated.

Jurrjens did everything he could to end the skid tonight. Dude pitched his tail off. Bravos hit some balls hard; Prado ripped it all night, but right at people.

But, when you leave runners on base all night and don’t cash it, that will come back and bite you in the butt. Tough night … gotta get ready for tomorrow, hope Jo-Jo is a go-go (not as in a go-go singer, but as in ready to show the aggressiveness and confidence he displayed in spring training), and the offense is able to put some runs on the board.

This team really, really misses Chipper. Gotta get that bruised hand healed up. When he’s not on the field, it’s a different team. Simple as that, good people.

Tough week, tough night for the Bravos, who have seen all of their weaknesses exposed since a 5-1 start. Obviously we can’t harp on the starting pitching, which has been solid. The offense will click with a healthy Chipper Jones and that is why it’s so important for him to take as much time as necessary to get that thumb right. Mike Gonzalez doesn’t look like a closer, but Rafael Soriano is starting to and Peter Moylan will regain his consistency over the next few weeks. The Braves made a mistake by putting Moylan on the Opening Day roster when they knew that he’d follow the path of other post-TJ pitchers by struggling to find consistent control. Boyer will be gone in the morning and Bennett now finds himself as the reliever walking the thin line that will eventually bring Medlen to Atlanta. Schafer’s hitting woes were inevitable. But it’s troubling to see things like misplaying Moss’ double into a triple. It feels like the sweep of the Nationals occurred an eon ago.

Another concern that is becoming evident is the need for a right handed hitting Outfielder that can play all 3 of spots well spell Schafer from time to time against top flight lefties and be able to replace G. Anderson defensively late in games.

Sorry but Diaz is not that man at all. I know he’s a nice option to have against lefties but his inability to play anything other than LF outweighs his bat ,IMO.

Braves should have made the Repko deal or signed a Gabe Kapler type.

Diaz is a nice bat but the roster construction of this team in particular dictates that that spot could be used more wiseley on a more versatile player.

McCann is starting to worry about the blurred vision he’s experienced in his left eye for more than a week. Doctors have told him his vision has changed or he’s dealing with some sort of infection. This morning, he started applying a new ointment that he hopes brings some relief. You just have to wonder if his eyes have changed since he had LASIK surgery performed in Nov. 2007. If so, he might have to miss a couple weeks while getting his left eye readjusted.

If McCann has real eye issues, the Braves are in a world of hurt. Boyer was given ample opportunity with the Braves, as was Bennett. It really looks like Medlen’s time has come. I’m guessing Parr is the stop gap to get to Medlen after the arbitration eligibility time has expired.
So what day do Medlen and Hanson become “cheap” enough to play in the Bigs?
Come on Jo Jo, the Braves need you this time around.

Well another horrible performance today, but you can’t expect to win with only MAYBE 4 major league players on the field. After starting 5-1, everyone was hollering “Championship”, “Championship”. Well now after losing 5 in a row. “Cellar dwellers”. I know it’s still early in the season, but these games count too!
As I said in an earlier post, ” you can’t win with minor leaguers, has beens and cripples”. Shame on you Wren.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME………… GARRET ANDERSON????? SERIOUSLY….. Are you kidding me Garret Anderson?? IN ADDITION TO YOUR……….. **** RIPPED “RIGHT” CALF MUSCLE *****………. NOW YOU ***TAKE YOURSELF OUT OF THE GAME because of a *******MESSED-UP “LEFT” QUAD MUSCLE*******!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So Garret Anderson, you are basicly TELLING US THAT YOU HAVE *********** 2 MESSED UP LEGS *************!!!!!!!!! I WILL TAKE IT EASY ON YOU TODAY AND JUST TELL YOU…………….. ***RETIRE NOW, YOU WASHED-UP, SHREADED-MUSCLE, LAZY A**, CIRCUS-PERFORMING FIELDING FREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOBODY WANTS YOUR LAZY, GIMPY A** IN ATLANTA!!!!!!! GET OUT OF TOWN….. BEFORE WE RUN YOU OUT OF TOWN!!!!!!!

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